Sand and paint your block but do not add the wheels. When the paint has dried, mount the weight on the top of your car as far to the rear as possible. The weight should not extend past the rear of the car. Glue bottom weights to the bottom of the block to bring the total weight (including wheels and axles) to 5 oz.
Where do I put weights on a Pinewood Derby car?
Best Location to Weight Your Pinewood Derby Car
When deciding on where to weight your car, you should try to reach a final balance point of the car 1 inch or less in front of the rear axle. To achieve this, place 2/5 of the added weight behind the rear axle, and the remaining 3/5 in front of the rear axle.
Is it better to put weight in front or back on Pinewood Derby car?
PUT MOST OF THE WEIGHT IN THE BACK
Science says the heaviest part of your car should be about 1 inch in front of the rear axle. The idea is that the farther back the weight is, the more potential energy you have because your center of mass is higher up on the track.
How do you drill weights on a Pinewood Derby car?
Drill Weight Holes in your Pinewood Derby Car
- Drill evenly spaced 3/8″ holes for steel and tungsten cylinder weights.
- For drilling weight holes in the back, bottom and side of the car.
- Drill straight into the car block or at an angle to match the slope of wedge type cars.
How do I add weight to my Awana car?
Drill one or more 9/32 ” holes near the back of your awana car, insert the weights in the holes then glue them into place or cover with wood putty. Includes 3 sections for a total of 3 oz. These are lead weights and should not be handled by children.
What kind of weights can I use on a Pinewood Derby car?
Tungsten is the best weight for your pine derby car because it allows you to pack more weight in a smaller area giving you more flexibility in your car design and more accurate weight placement for speed.
Where should weight be distributed in a car?
A road race car’s left/right weight distribution usually falls between 50 and 52 percent (either side depending if the track has more left or right turns). It’s a fairly cut-and-dry issue: If the road course has more right-hand turns, then the weight is biased to the right side of the car.
Where should stick on wheel weights be placed?
“The best placement would be at the extreme inside and outside of the wheel.” The farther apart the weights, the more “couple” force, or the side-to-side wobble of a rolling tire, can be counteracted. “We’ve lost the outside and two or three more inches because the weight has to be behind the spokes.
Which wheel should be raised on pinewood derby car?
Lift One of the Front Wheels, so it Doesn’t Touch the Track – If your competition allows it, raising one wheel is an easy way to reduce friction. Decide which wheel to lift by sending your car down a straight line and seeing which side of the line it drifts toward. If it drifts left, raise the left front wheel.
Should I put weight in the back of my car?
For best traction you want a greater percentage of the vehicle’s weight centered over the drive wheels, the wheels where the engine sends the power to propel the car. Basically: Do add weight in the back of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. Don’t add weight to the back of a front-wheel-drive vehicle.
Should I bake my pinewood derby block?
Should I bake the pinewood derby block? The short answer is no, do not bake the block. The idea behind baking the block is to remove moisture which will make the block lighter. You can then add more weight to the back of the car.
Do heavier pinewood derby cars go faster?
Much has been written about the physics of pinewood derby cars, and this is one rare case in racing where heavy = fast. Aerodynamics have little effect in such a short race, but weight does and putting the weight at the back of the car will make your car faster on the flat of the track.
How do you corner weight of a vehicle?
To add weight to a given corner, raise the ride height at that corner or lower the ride height at an adjacent corner. For example, if your initial setup is 52 percent cross-weight, and you want 50 percent cross-weight, lowering the right front or left rear corner will decrease cross-weight percentage.
How do you weight a car?
How to Weigh and What to Aim For. With the scales sat on a level ground, jack the car up and place each of the 4 wheels on a scale, making sure to put the rear scales under the rear wheels and the front under the front wheels. Once back on its wheels make sure to settle the suspension properly.
Does a longer wheelbase make a pinewood derby car faster?
The longer the wheel base, the greater the turning distance (a short car turns much more quickly than a long car). A pinewood derby car should go as straight as possible, so a longer wheel base is an advantage.
What is the fastest pinewood derby Shape?
But aerodynamics rule the day, and the best shape is a simple wedge. Just like a spoiler on the rear of a sports car, the wedge shape allows as much air to flow over the top of the car without hinderance while keeping the car pinned to the track.
Can you use duct tape on a pinewood derby car?
No tape will be allowed and no other lubing or modifications will be permitted.
How should weight be distributed when standing?
Your weight should be 50-50 on your left and right legs and between the balls of your feet (those cushioned pads just below your toes) and your heels. I’m surprised how many people think their weight should be supported by their toes.
When loading a trailer where do you put most of the weight?
Always adhere to the 60/40 rule when loading the trailer. Load the front of the trailer first, placing 60 percent of the weight forward of the front axle, with the weight evenly distributed side to side.
What happens if wheel weights fall off?
If you don’t balance your wheels with weight wheels, your car might have a considerably higher fuel consumption. This is due to a strain your engine takes from pulling tires out of balance. Balanced wheels just run smoother and require less energy to run.
How do you keep stick on wheel weights from falling off?
If you want to prevent the wheel weights from coming off on track because the adhesive gets hot from the brakes. Cover them with aluminum heating duct tape(not reg duct tape). Its good for about 400f works great.